What is a “Red Notice”: A “Red Notice” is a worldwide request, via Interpol, to national law enforcement authorities to locate and provisionally detain a person awaiting extradition, surrender or similar legal proceedings. Briefly described: A “Red Notice” is an international wanted notice, but not an arrest warrant.
Please note that we are criminal defense lawyers in Germany and can therefore only help if you are looking for support in Germany. If you are wanted in another country, you must find a local lawyer!
A Red Notice is therefore not an“international arrest warrant” and contains two main pieces of information for the search for persons:
- Information to identify the wanted person, such as name, date of birth, nationality, hair and eye color, photos and fingerprints.
- Information related to the crime for which this person is wanted – which, according to Interpol, is usually murder, rape, child abuse or armed robbery, not petty offenses.
A request to issue a Red Notice is reviewed by a specialized task force to ensure that it complies with Interpol rules. This review takes into account the information available at the time of publication.

Whenever new and relevant information is brought to the attention of the General Secretariat after the publication of a Red Notice, this task force re-examines the case.
Interpol Notices
Red Notice
A red notice is used to determine the whereabouts of a wanted person or to arrest that person, or alternatively to restrict their freedom of movement with a view to their extradition. The minimum requirements for a red notice are that the offense is a serious common law offense with a minimum sentence of two years or a sentence of at least six months imprisonment or that the request is of interest for international police cooperation.
In order to initiate a Red Notice, sufficient identifying features of the person in question must be known, such as surname, first name, gender, date of birth (at least the year) and either a personal description, DNA, fingerprints or data from the passport or identity card. Incidentally, a Red Notice requires a good quality photograph and additional information such as a known alias, name of a parent, further personal description and so on. Sufficient court data is also required, such as the offense, sentence, facts of the case with a precise and clear description as well as the time and place of the crime.
Blue Notice
The blue notice is used to investigate a person or to obtain information about them that is relevant to the criminal police. Blue notices are particularly useful when extradition seems difficult.
In the blue notice, additional information is obtained about any previous convictions, whereabouts, identity of the person or other findings relevant to the investigation, and as much data about the criminal investigation or the person is disclosed as is necessary to ensure that the desired cooperation is likely to be successful.
Green Notice
The green notice is issued to draw attention to a person’s criminal activities. This is permissible if the person can be considered a potential threat to public safety. This conclusion must be based on the assessment of a national security authority or an international body and must be based on previous convictions of the person or on other sufficient grounds. As much information about the threat as is relevant as a warning may be provided.
Yellow Notice
Yellow alerts are issued to find a missing or disappeared person or to identify a person who is unable to provide any personal details, i.e. if the whereabouts of a missing person or the identity of a person who has been picked up is unknown. The prerequisite for a solce alert in the form of a Yellow Notice is that the disappearance of the person has been reported to the police or that the unknown person who cannot provide any information about their identity has been apprehended by the police. As much information about the person or the circumstances of their disappearance or apprehension is disclosed so that identification is possible.
Black Notice
The black notice plays a role when deceased persons need to be identified, for example when the discovery of a body has been recorded by the police and the body could not be identified. As many details and circumstances of the discovery are disclosed in the alert so that identification is possible.
Purple Notice
Violet alerts are published to provide information on the modus operandi of criminals and the objects and devices they use or the methods of concealment or disguise they employ and/or to obtain information on criminal acts with a view to clarifying them.
Silver Notice
The Silver Notice is used to search for assets internationally in order to confiscate them. It therefore supports the international confiscation of assets.
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